


Knock On Your Door

by infiniteworld8



Series: Assembling the Crew [2]
Category: Firefly, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Brothels, Crew as Family, Gen, I'm playing fast and loose with this, Orion Slave Girls, Orion Syndicate, Pike Assembling the crew, Team Dynamics, Teen Jim, Teen Jim is an Asshole, The Alliance - Freeform, aged-down characters, alternate age differences than Canon, implied prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-19
Updated: 2015-06-19
Packaged: 2018-04-05 02:26:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4162131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infiniteworld8/pseuds/infiniteworld8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Orion Syndicate isn't forgiving of runaways, if she's caught the only thing left for her is a slow painful death.  Gaila's hidden for now, but it's just a matter of time before they catch her. A foulmouthed teen and cryptic captain may just offer the chance she needs to change her future in the 'verse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Knock On Your Door

**Author's Note:**

> Fusion verse, I think you can all guess which verse it was fused with.

Gaila balanced a tray gliding past the patrons dotting the bar. It was a cheap place at best, little more than space riff-raff, but the occasional  high roller did come around, and as long as she didn’t draw attention than the Orion syndicate would have no reason to suspect that one of their girls was hiding out on Persephone. Persephone was one of the main planets visited by the syndicate and as such to hide on Persephone would be akin to begging to be caught...which made it the last place they would likely look.

“Looks, like somebody’s interested in a little more than drinks from you tonight...again.” Tirra added the last part a tad nastily.  Gaila ground her teeth but resisted the urge to retort back and instead turned her gaze towards where the other woman was subtly nodding.

“Hmph” Gaila turned away a quick assessment of the two males surveying her left her both uninterested and slightly worried. It was evident by their clothes that they wouldn’t be up to paying much and the way the older one was watching her was an eye that she had come to associate with errant bounty hunters and associates of the syndicate.

“Well if they’re not up to your standards green girl maybe you’ll let one of use make a living.”

Gaila watched Tirra flounce her way over in all her gaudy, make-up ridden ill-splendour and almost had to suppress a laugh. Besides her manner, there were a hundred other things that the human woman did which even a novice licensed companion of the syndicate would have never done. Still humans were peculiar and Gaila had come to find that many of them preferred slutty and dirty than refined and cultured.

Not that she was any of those things Gaila thought ruefully. She wasn’t like the humans. She hadn’t ever been the perfect companion either. She was too rough for their taste, too outspoken, and most important too hard to control. If she hadn’t got out it would have only been a matter of time before she would have been deemed too much of a liability  and disposed of as only the syndicate had a way of doing.

Tirra stalked past as her advances were rebuffed—mostly by the older one—the younger one seemed all too willing to undress her with his eyes and if the older one hadn’t admonished him probably with his hands too.

Gaila went back for more drinks as her tray emptied and found the bartender waiting for her. Corcoran was a big beefy human,  the combination of his pale pink skin and his beady eyes reminded her of an Earth animal called a pig. “Those two wanted to speak with you.”

Gaila already guessed who he was talking about and wasn’t surprised to find the man nodding towards the back of the bar where Tirra’s  would-be clients still waited.  “I’m busy.” Gaila said shortly and reached out to snatch the waiting tray off the counter.

“Not when they’re customers that want you.” Corcoran snatched Gaila’s wrist in one meaty fist, hold ing her tightly enough to bruise.

“Who I choose to service is my business.” Gaila tried to wrench her hand free only to find the man  still holding her.

“I don’t think you get this Orion but it’s my business when you’re acting like you have a choice.” His voice was low and ugly and Gaila caught the flash of a knife as he pulled a blade from the depths of the grimy vest he wore. “You’re getting above your station. You should be happy I let a back berth Orion castoff work here when you filthy critters are running around like you own the galaxy. You don’t own 狗屎 in my establishment and if I need to mark up your pretty face to get the point across , that’ll—“

“Be the last thing you do.”Gaila turned to find the younger male smirking slightly as he held a knife to the bartenders throat. He continued conversationally. “Let go of her arm if you don’t want a second breathing hole in your throat. “ Corcoran hesitated and Gaila wasn’t really sure if he would risk the threat being made real or was planning on backing down. However, the way he was easing his hand towards his back pocket where she knew he kept a revolver had her not taking any chances.

They both drew at the same time but she was faster. Her knife blade slid in an out easily as she slashed the blade across his arm and the gun fell from his grip.

“Rutting Orion Whore.” Corcoran swore  as he released her wrist in favour of holding his arm in now blood slicked fingers. “I’ll have you dead for this mark my—“

Gaila was already moving away. She spotted the clubs bouncers nearing and knew that Corcoran would make good on his threat if given the chance. It was only a day ago that one of the girls had been found dead after he caught her skimming credits off each “transaction “ with customers.

Still it was kinder than what the syndicate would have done. If a companion was found acting in defiance of the syndicates wishes, death would come, but slowly and very painfully.

Gaila had no desire for death in either form. Before the bouncers could near her she raced towards the door pausing only to throw a few credit chips in the air. The subsequent scramble for the money would buy her precious few seconds.

From the corner of her eye she saw the teen and the older man slip away too making towards an exit.  But any curiosity about what they had wanted her for was gone as bullet whistled past her head. She mentally gave thanks that Corcoran’s establishment was cheap enough that he still had projectile weapons not the fancy energy ones like the alliance or syndicate favoured.

Outside the air was hot and steamy, and streams of rain came down. It was past dark , and that and the rain gave her cover. She slipped through the crowded streets weaving past the few merchants still out, who were mostly offering hot food, and dived down a side alley. Corcoran’s bouncers thundered past. They were large and unsubtle; she had years of training and inborn stealth on her side it was no match.  Companions weren’t just whores, they were the Syndicates favourite tool, from diplomacy, to assassinations they could and did handle it all. Which was one of the reasons  a companion that left the syndicate was unheard of because to do so was to become as good as dead.   Rogue companions held too many secrets to be allowed to live outside the syndicate’s control.

Corcoran’s thugs were nothing but thugs they never had a chance of catching her. Few people outside the syndicate did.  That’s why what happened next surprised her. “They’re gone, come on let’s go before they double back.”

Gaila whipped around to see who had spoken and found the young teen from the bar standing no more than a few feet away. He was grinning at the no doubt shocked expression on her face.  It was no small feat what he had done, not only had he managed to keep up with her—that by itself was impressive since everybody knew that humans were considerably weaker than Orions—but he had also did so without being noticed.

She scowled. “Why are you following me?”

“Wanted to talk about a job.”

Gaila appraised the human male, he was cocky that much was clear and obviously used to getting his way. Her reply was scathing. “If you’re so  desperate for a lay, try the Kylar Brothel near the docks...they take anyone and everyone, though as young as you are you’ll be the one who winds up getting fucked.” She turned to leave and the boy was suddenly blocking her way.

“Move.” The words weren’t so much a request as an order. He didn’t heed them. Before she could make a move for a weapon he had drawn a small pistol and had it pointed squarely at her.

“Sorry can’t do that. Pike wants to talk.”

“And this Pike is?” She already had a good idea. Bounty hunters came in all shapes and sizes, and ages.

“The guy that wanted me to bring you to him.”  The teen gestured for her to move and after weighing her chances of overpowering him she took a few grudging steps forward in the direction he indicated.  He slipped into an easy step alongside her, the pistol hidden in his jacket, but she wasn’t fooled for one moment that he didn’t have it pointed at her.

He would falter, everyone did , even if it was just one second and that was when she would strike. Instead she talked wanting to distract him and maybe anger him. “So you do whatever this Pike says.”

“Yep, whatever.” The teen said it firmly without a hint of hesitation

Gaila allowed even more mocking tones to pervade her voice. “Like a dog.”

He didn’t get mad instead he smirked at her and corrected. “More like a hound.”

She didn’t speak , instead she was watching him closely watching his shoulders relax slightly as he smirked at her in the half light.  “a puppy.” She countered, moving to the side and  attempting to  sweep his feet from him. Only he wasn’t there, she caught a flash of him out the corner of her eye and then felt a blow in her ribs. She reeled then corrected herself and  retaliated using the awkward angle she was in as an opportunity to land a solid kick at his chest. He stumbled backwards, the gun falling from his hands as he slammed into the alley wall. Gaila could have taken the opportunity to run but instead she dove back in, her teeth bared and eyes glittering. It was best to finish him off then maybe his partner would think twice about following her, when she left this boy’s dead body as a warning.  He didn’t make it easy, as she drew a knife to slash his throat , he blocked her and then used his foot to trip her. The fight went to ground and grew increasingly violent until Gaila managed to get on top. Before she could make a move a voice rang out.

“I’d put that knife down if I was you.” The instant she took to look away was enough for the teen  to get out from under her. Gaila got to her feet, warily watching the older man from the bar as he calmly held a revolver on  her.

“You must be Pike.” She spat the words as contemptuously as possible.  “How much did they pay you to hunt me down?”

Pike gestured from Gaila to kick her knife towards him which she grudgingly did. Then he answered. “Nobody paid me. I’m not here to hunt you down, in fact you’re free to leave after we talk. I just have a proposition for you.”

“I’ll bet you do.” She couldn’t help laughing, even though it was mirthless. “Can’t afford a real Companion so you’re settling for the syndicate’s castoffs as your newest fuck toy?”

“ I don’t want you for myself...”

“Planning on selling me out then?” Gaila glanced over at the blond who was brushing dirt off his clothes, and continued with as much derision as she could muster. “Or maybe I’m for this one? You can’t pay me enough to put up with him”

Pike surprised her by giving a genuine laugh.

The boy scowled at her, his eyes glinting, and spat on the ground. “I don’t think we should be paying to put up with _you.”_

“Kirk.”

The boy ignored the comment in favour of glaring at her with ill-disguised hatred in his eyes.

“Jim!“ Pike’s tone was warning.

Gaila met Kirk’s eyes. “Don’t worry, you won’t have to. I have better things to do then fuck around with an arrogant brat.”

“Who’s to say I would want a dirty Syndicate whore—“

“That’s enough , both of you.” Pike barked, holding out a hand towards Kirk who was moving forward not even trying to conceal his anger. The boy opened his mouth to speak and Pike silenced him. “Jim, fuck off, go wait at the end of the alley.”

Kirk looked like he wanted to refuse but after casting one last dirty look at Gaila over his shoulder he stalked off to wait by the end of the alley .

Pike glanced back at Kirk then turned to Gaila. “You don’t need to worry about me feeding into his sexual obsession. He’s got enough problems.”

“What do you want me for then?” Gaila was curious despite herself.

“ You know somewhere we can talk in private?”

Gaila hesitated, but in the end the lure of making some money and possibly getting away from the planet was too great. She nodded and started walking not waiting to see if Pike was following her.

XXXX XXXX

“You’re a part of the Syndicate.”

“Ex-Syndicate.” Gaila corrected.

Pike nodded in acquiescence to her correction. “We need somebody like you . I’ve got a pilot, a mechanic and a few other crew members but what I need is somebody who can make introductions, open up new trade routes and most importantly give us a leg up on alliance intel.”

“And I’m your top pick for the job?”

“You’re my only pick for the job.” Gaila didn’t ask but the question was evident in her eyes. Pike answered. “You’re the only operative the alliance hasn’t caught within a few weeks of them defecting and the only one to have ever survived this long on their own.”

Gaila took a sip of her drink, swilling the liquor around in her mouth. But her options were too few for there to be any real choice. Pike seemed somewhat sincere and she needed the money.  If he turned out to be a liar, then it wouldn’t be too hard to kill him and cut her losses.

“Fine, I accept.”

Kirk didn’t look to happy at her decision, all was needed was one look at him to see his displeasure. Pike ignored him though.  “You’ll get paid same as the rest of the crew, part of whatever we make from the sale of each load , percentages based on—“

Gaila over talked him. “  My terms: One fifth of whatever you make.  I get my own cabin, and free run of the shuttles when we’re near a planet. I don’t do business with your crew and they don’t ask.” She glanced at Kirk as she said that and then added. “ And I get a weapon to carry at all times. Take it or leave it” It was a bold move but Gaila was willing to bet that after all the trouble he had went through to track her down that Pike wouldn’t let her go that easily.

“Or we could turn to you into the alliance and collect the award money from the syndicate. “ Kirk said.

Gaila didn’t bother to look at Kirk which she knew angered the boy. Instead she stared at Pike. “You could...but you won’t. If you’d take the chance of hiring me then you can’t work through official channels, I bet the alliance and syndicate are as interested in capturing me as they would be in capturing you.” She turned to look at Kirk as she added. “I could just as well turn you in.”

Kirk glared at her another moment before getting up and stalking towards the bar. “Gorram Orions’ “

Gaila ignored the insult and turned back to Pike. “Well?”

Pike  gave a half smile and tossed a credit chip on the table. “You get a sixth.  Meet us at 1200.”

He was almost a table away before Gaila thought to ask. “Where?”

“At the docks, Ship’s named _Serenity.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that. I'm working on an entire series collectively called "Take Me Out Into The Black" A firefly-ST 2009 fusion series. This series is an offshoot of that one that collectively introduces the crew. The main series will be several multi chapter fics. Expect a darker version of both Firefly and ST 2009, hope the combo of verses worked. Thanks for reading.


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